Automated Identification and Classification of Intravascular Lesions

1. A method of evaluating a vessel of a patient, the method comprising: communicating, via a processing system, with an x-ray imaging device to obtain an x-ray image of the vessel of the patient; controlling, by the processing system, a guidewire or a catheter positioned within the vessel of the patient to acquire pressure measurements of the vessel of the patient via a pressure sensor of the guidewire or catheter, wherein the pressure sensor is coupled to a distal portion of the guidewire or catheter; determining, by the processing system, a plurality of pressure ratios based on the pressure measurements and associated with a plurality of locations within the vessel; co-registering, by the processing system, the plurality of pressure ratios with the x-ray image such that each pressure ratio of the plurality of pressure ratios is associated with a corresponding location of the vessel of the patient; identifying, by the processing system, a location of a lesion within the vessel based on a change in the plurality of co-registered pressure ratios between the plurality of locations; determining, by the processing system, a value of the change in the plurality of co-registered pressure ratios; determining, by the processing system, a classification of the lesion based on the location of the lesion and the value of the change in the plurality of co-registered pressure ratios, wherein the classification corresponds to a spatial description of plaque buildup within the vessel, and wherein determining the classification of the lesion comprises determining if the lesion is focal or diffuse; and outputting, by the processing system, a graphical representation of the classification of the lesion at the location of the lesion in the x-ray image to a user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: analyzing the x-ray image to identify an anatomical name for the vessel; and outputting, to the user interface, a label indicating the anatomical name for the vessel in proximity to the vessel.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein analyzing the x-ray image to identify the anatomical name for the vessel includes utilizing a computer aided detection algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the x-ray image includes at least one of a two-dimensional angiographic image, a three-dimensional angiographic image, or a computed tomography angiographic (CTA) image.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the pressure measurements are acquired at multiple locations along the vessel.

6. A system for evaluating a vessel of a patient, the system comprising: a guidewire or catheter configured to be positioned within the vessel of the patient, wherein the guidewire or catheter comprises a pressure sensor configured to acquire pressure measurements of the vessel of the patient, wherein the pressure sensor is coupled to a distal portion of the guidewire or catheter; and a processing system in communication with the guidewire or catheter, the processing system configured to: communicate with an x-ray imaging device to obtain an x-ray image of the vessel of the patient; control the guidewire or catheter to acquire the pressure measurements via the pressure sensor; determine, based on the pressure measurements, a plurality of pressure ratios associated with a plurality of locations within the vessel; co-register, by the processing system, the plurality of pressure ratios with the x-ray image such that each pressure ratio of the plurality of pressure ratios is associated with a corresponding location of the vessel of the patient; identify a location of a lesion within the vessel based on a change in the plurality of co-registered pressure ratios between the plurality of locations; determine, a value of the change in the plurality of co-registered pressure ratios; determine a classification of the lesion based on the location of the lesion and the value of the change in the plurality of co-registered pressure ratios, wherein the classification corresponds to a spatial description of plaque buildup within the vessel, and wherein the processing system is configured to determine the classification of the lesion by determining if the lesion is focal or diffuse; and output a graphical representation of the classification of the lesion at the location of the lesion in the x-ray image to a user interface.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processing system is further configured to: analyze the x-ray image to identify an anatomical name for the vessel; and output, to the user interface, a label indicating the anatomical name for the vessel in proximity to the vessel.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing system utilizes a computer aided detection algorithm to identify the anatomical name for the vessel.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the x-ray image includes at least one of a two-dimensional angiographic image, a three-dimensional angiographic image, or a computed tomography angiographic (CTA) image.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the classification of the lesion comprises determining the classification of the lesion based on the value of the change in the plurality of co-registered pressure ratios relative to a value of a length of the vessel.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating, based on the plurality of co-registered pressure ratios, a slope of a pressure loss, wherein the classification is determined based on the slope of the pressure loss.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processing system is further configured to: determine, based on the x-ray image, a value associated with the spatial description of plaque within the vessel, wherein the processing system is configured to determine the classification of the lesion based on the value associated with the spatial description of plaque within the vessel and the value of the change in the plurality of pressure ratios.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the value associated with the spatial description of plaque within the vessel comprises at least one of: a percentage of occlusion of the vessel caused by the lesion; a first distance between a first portion and a second portion the lesion, wherein the first distance is in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the vessel; a length of the lesion; or a second distance between the lesion and a different lesion longitudinally spaced from the lesion.

14. The system of claim 6 , wherein the pressure sensor comprises at least one of a transducer, a piezo-resistive pressure sensor, a piezo-electric pressure sensor, a capacitive pressure sensor, an electromagnetic pressure sensor, a fluid column, or an optical pressure sensor.